June 16th - Community Update
For all those celebrating we wish you a Happy Father’s Day! It has been a beautiful weekend as we head into another busy week for the Fight for Farmland Group.
Townhall Meetings – Starting THIS WEEK!
Join us at the New Hamburg Community Centre for our Townhall Meetings on Thursday, June 20, and/or Monday, June 24, starting at 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:30). We are hoping for strong community attendance, and to help keep things organized these will be ticketed events, with guaranteed entry until 6:50 pm, after which any non-ticketholders will be admitted up to a maximum capacity of 300. Secure your spot with a free ticket here and be sure to arrive a few minutes early. The Townhall will include a presentation on key information we have learned so far and critical next steps to show we are unwilling, followed by a Q&A session. Send any questions you may have in advance to wilmotlandowners@gmail.com.
Rallies & Local Demonstrations
It was fantastic to see dozens of people protesting at Monday’s Wilmot Council meeting. Join us at upcoming Wilmot Township and Regional Council meetings to show elected officials we are unwilling and make our voices heard. This week, let’s focus on the Region of Waterloo Council Meeting on Wednesday, June 19 at 6:30pm.
Wilmot Township Council – 60 Snyder’s Road West, Baden:
Monday, June 24, 5:30 pm (council meets at 7:00 pm)
Monday, July 29, 5:30 pm (council meets at 7:00 pm)
Region of Waterloo Council – 150 Frederick Street, Kitchener:
Wednesday, June 19, 6:30 pm
Wednesday, August 28, 6:30 pm
Interested in speaking at a council meeting? Email us at wilmotlandowners@gmail.com
Press Conference with Wilmot Township Councillor Harvir Sidhu and Councillor Chris Wilkinson
This past Wednesday June 12th, Councillors Kris Wilkinson and Harvir Sidhu held a press conference at Stewart Snyder’s farm. Significant print, radio and television media was in attendance along with neighbors and Fight For Farmland supporters.
The Councillors called on the Region to release more information about the land assembly and for a far better process. Councillor Sidhu emphasized that farmers and landowners deserve fair and respectful treatment. Councillor Wilkinson called for transparency, demanding the release of technical details and direct dialogue with the community. Both were unable to disclose specific information due to the Municipal Act and confidentiality, though they denied previously cited NDAs, and we greatly appreciate their call for greater transparency.
Door-to-door canvassing
A big thank you to all the volunteers who canvassed in Elmira this weekend to help send a strong message to MPP Mike Harris who’s office is in town. Thankfully, the weather cooperated and it was great to see so many concerned and supportive residents interested in lawn signs and signing petitions. It’s crucial to continue spreading the word about the devastating effects of industrial development on our prime agricultural land so please keep getting signs up in our communities. Locations to get signs can be found at www.fightforfarmland.com.
Media Update – Excellent media coverage this past week included:
Pair of Wilmot councillors demanding transparency from the Region of Waterloo on land grab
Wilmot councillors call on Region of Waterloo to release details on land assembly
Wilmot councillors challenge region to provide full technical details on land assembly
The Record - This Is The Crack In The Dam: After Months Of Silence, Wilmot Councillors Call For Region To Be Transparent On Land Assembly: https://www.therecord.com/opinion/columnists/this-is-the-crack-in-the-dam-after-months-of-silence-wilmot-councillors-call-for/article_6a1849d4-bfe7-52db-82b4-ed5efaa95f33.html
Thank you again for your support! We hope to see you at our Townhall Meeting in New Hamburg this Thursday at 7pm or at the Region Waterloo Council Meeting this week – let’s show we are UNWILLING HOSTS!